BACKGROUND: Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) is a common sequela of stroke. Despite reports of serotonergic involvement in the etiology of PSF, the potential contribution of serotonergic genes in the development of PSF needs to be investigated. METHODS: A total of 373 patients, who experienced ischemic stroke for PSF, were evaluated 3 months after the stroke. PSF was assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale. The genomic DNA collected and stored in a -70°C freezer was genotyped for 6 polymorphisms in genes associated with serotonin synthesis (tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1) A218C, TPH2 rs10879355, and TPH2 rs4641528), transport (the promoter region of the serotonin transporter protein), and catabolism (the 30-bp functional variable number tandem repeat) polymorphism in the promoter region of monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A)...

Few studies on long-term functional outcome have been conducted in post-stroke patients in China. The objective of this study was to conduct a nationwide survey in China to investigate the 5-year prevalence of post-stroke disability and its correlation factors. A total of 893 patients with ischemic stroke were included. Demographic, clinical and neuro-imaging information were collected with standardized instruments that assessed stroke severity, depression, cognitive impairment, stroke recurrence and physical disability...

Despite major improvements in primary prevention and acute treatment over the last decades, stroke is still a devastating disease. At the beginning of the 21st century, the age-standardized incidence of stroke in Europe ranged from 95 to 290/100,000 per year, with one-month case-fatality rates ranging from 13 to 35%. Approximately 1.1 million inhabitants of Europe suffered a stroke each year, and ischemic stroke accounted for approximately 80% of cases. Although global stroke incidence is declining, rates observed in young adults are on the rise, thus suggesting a need for strategies to improve prevention...

In Italy, the European SCORE Project risk score is the recommended tool for cardiovascular disease risk stratification in the primary prevention setting. Among non-diabetic subjects aged 40 to 64, the model estimates the 10-year probability of death due to cardiovascular disease based on individual's age, total cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking status. A growing body of evidence suggests that in middle-aged adults this stratification may suffer from two major drawbacks. First, mortality risk severely underestimates the global burden of disease incidence...

Despite years of research, most preclinical trials on ischemic stroke have remained unsuccessful owing to poor methodological and statistical standards leading to "translational roadblocks." Various behavioral tests have been established to evaluate traits such as sensorimotor function, cognitive and social interactions, and anxiety-like and depression-like behavior. A test's validity is of cardinal importance as it influences the chance of a successful translation of preclinical results to clinical settings...

Depression is an important post-stroke sequela with negative impact on mortality, functional outcome and quality of life. Changes in cytokines have been hypothesized to be associated with the etiology of post-stroke depression (PSD). The altere dhypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) functioning is associated with the onset of depression. The activity of HPA could induce the fluctuations of cortisol levels. In this study, we prospectively checked interleukin 6 (IL-6) and cortisol levels in patients with early ischemic stroke...

BACKGROUND: Stroke is not only an acute disease, but for the majority of patients, it also becomes a chronic condition. There is a major concern about the long-term follow-up with respect to activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke survivors. Some patients seem to be at risk for decline after a first-ever stroke. The purpose of this study was to determine the course of ADL from 3 months after the first-ever stroke and onward and identify factors associated with decline in ADL. METHODS: A systematic literature search of 3 electronic databases through June 2015 was conducted...

BACKGROUND: Cerebral stroke is the major cause of disability in the modern world and, given its consequences, poses serious medical and social problems. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the quality of life of patients who suffered from an ischemic cerebral stroke with respect to various areas of life, including, in particular, clinical and psychoemotional factors. The study hypothesis states that the poststroke quality of life is reduced in the general context as well as in the context of specific areas of life...

Trazodone is an antidepressant that is FDA-approved for the treatment of depression. It has been used by mental health and primary care providers for the treatment of multiple psychiatric and medical conditions .This review describes trazodone mechanism of action, formulation, dosage and adverse effects and then summarizes the beneficial effects of trazodone in the treatment of various psychiatric and medical conditions such as major depression, as well non-approved FDA indications such as insomnia,anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, feeding and eating disorders, substance use disorders, behavioral disturbances associated with cognitive dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, certain pain conditions, and rehabilitation after acute ischemic stroke...

Depression and anxiety symptoms are common after stroke and associated to reduction in quality of life and poor physical and social outcomes. The Default Mode Network (DMN) plays an important role in the emotional processing. We investigated whether these symptoms are associated to a disruption of DMN functional connectivity in the first month after stroke. Thirty-four subacute ischemic stroke patients were submitted to: 1) behavioral assessment through Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders; 2) neuropsychological assessment using Mini Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment; 3) resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging acquisition using a 3 T scanner (Philips Achieva)...

PURPOSE: To examine the prevalence of poststroke depression (PSD) among African American stroke survivors and the association of depression with functional status at inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) discharge. METHODS: Secondary data analysis was conducted of a patient cohort who received care at 3 IRFs in the United States from 2009 to 2011. Functional status was measured by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Multiple linear regression models were used to examine associations of PSD and FIM motor and cognitive scores...

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between neuroticism and fatigue in Chinese stroke patients. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and ninety-one ischemic stroke survivors recruited from the above-mentioned acute stroke unit between May 2010 and September 2011. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The personality trait of neuroticism was measured with the neuroticism subscale of the Chinese version of the NEO-five-factor Inventory (NEO-FFI)...

OBJECTIVE: Depression affects many people following their stroke (between 30 and 60%). It can occur in the days following the attack but several years later. Our objective was to investigate the incidence of depression and anxiety in our patients after stroke followed for post-stroke hemiplegia. MATERIAL/PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective study over 6 months from 10 September 2014 to 10 March 2015. It covered all cases of stroke supported the MPR service during this period were excluded patients with severe aphasia...

OBJECTIVE: Therefore, the aim of our study was to determine risk factors for poor quality of life by considering disability after stroke in its multidimensional aspects but also to see the impact of each risk factor on the dimensions of quality of life. MATERIAL/PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study of stroke patients confirmed, followed by neurovascular consultation at Fann Hospital in Dakar has been achieved. Quality of life was evaluated by the 65 Sikness Impact Profile (SIP 65), the depression by the scale of Beck...

BACKGROUND: The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) is a short battery designed to assess frontal executive functioning, but data for interpretation of performance are limited. OBJECTIVES: The Trinity, Ulster, Department of Agriculture (TUDA) study provided the opportunity to derive performance data from a large sample of community-dwelling hospital outpatient or general practitioner (GP) attenders. METHODS: Normative analysis based on 2508 TUDA participants meeting these criteria: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) >26/30, not depressed (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression <16) or anxious (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale <8), no history of stroke, or transient ischemic attack...

In Italy, the European SCORE Project risk score is the recommended tool for cardiovascular disease risk stratification in the primary prevention setting. Among non-diabetic subjects aged 40 to 64, the model estimates the 10-year probability of death due to cardiovascular disease based on individual's age, total cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking status. A growing body of evidence suggests that in middle-aged adults this stratification may suffer from two major drawbacks. First, mortality risk severely underestimates the global burden of disease incidence...

BACKGROUND: Poststroke depression (PSD) is one of the most frequent and devastating neuropsychiatric consequences of stroke. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence and risk factors for PSD in a general hospital in Taiwan. METHODS: One hundred and one patients with ischemic stroke were enrolled initially, and 91 (90.1%) completed the 1-year study. Assessments were performed at baseline, and at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th month after enrolment...

BACKGROUND: Low levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are linked to delayed neurological recovery, depression, and cognitive impairment following stroke. Supplementation with BDNF reverses these effects. Unfortunately, systemically administered BDNF in its native form has minimal therapeutic value due to its poor blood brain barrier permeability and short serum half-life. In this study, a novel nano-particle polyion complex formulation of BDNF (nano-BDNF) was administered to mice after experimental ischemic stroke...

BACKGROUND: Depression after stroke is common and is associated with poor functional recovery, suicidal ideation, decreased quality of life, and increased mortality. Despite this knowledge, poststroke depression (PSD) is often underdetected and thus undertreated. PSD is clinically important for the caregiver, the family, and the stroke survivor. Inconsistencies in screening and treatment practices may further contribute to these negative outcomes. PURPOSE: The purposes of this evidence-based clinical scholarship project were to (1) determine the efficacy of an evidence-based depression screening protocol in improving early detection and treatment of PSD and (2) identify if there were any relationships between the protocol interventions, depression scores, and diagnosis...